More Chug Wrestling!

Wake at six, needing the loo, but then sleep on until eight. Open the window on a grey morning, then breakfast on boiled eggs and brown toast, with tea. A combination of gardening for Pip, ear infection and looking after Louis, means that I have a back log of gardening, cleaning, ironing and car cleaning. As I dropped Louis off last night Sarah told me that my Granddaughter, Alice, wouldn't be able to see her friends today unless I had Louis again today. This, of course, is pure manipulation, I said I would let her know. Louis is very close to my heart, but he exhausts me, after four or five hours of "Chug wrestling", I am only fit for bed. (Chugs is my nickname for Louis, because he comes on like a train.) After showering and dressing I leave the house undecided and drive to Beverley, parking near Sarah's house and then walking to the Poppy Seed for coffee with friends. Felicity is first to arrive, then her friend Hannah, followed by Julia, Felicity's sister, Barbara English, Julia, and finally her daughter Melissa and boyfriend Nick. Soon there are multiple conversations that one can join and dip into and then leave again. The Poppy Seed has become a Saturday institution. I leave at 12:30 and follow the better angel of my nature and collect Louis from Sarah's, he wants to swim, my ears seem to have recovered, so agree. Beverley Leisure Centre is very busy on Saturdays and sessions are time limited to 45 minutes, so we drive the twelve miles to Hornsea and swim there instead. It's a good decision, the pool is quiet, with only half a dozen swimmers. Of course it gets busier later. We stay in the water for two hours, Louis is totally fearless and has taught himself to swim a couple of strokes. He likes to play "crocodiles", a game where I swim underwater and then wrestle with him. It is still very tiring and prone to mishap. In the shallow water I dash my foot on the bottom and bruise my toes badly. After swimming, we retire to Sullivan's, a famous fish and chip cafe on the other side of the car park to the pool. Louis clears his plate and then demolishes a large chocolate cake. We take a quick walk on the seafront, the tide is in, the North Sea, cold and grey, and a nasty wind coming off the sea. We give in and retire to the ball pool at Hornsea Freeport, where Louis plays for another hour, before driving back to Sarah's. After dropping him off, drive home, meditate and then nap until eight. Then later eat some tortilla chips, with salsa, guacamole and sour cream, with French lager. Later read until bedtime.Housework still undone.